Press Release
WeVend and SandStar Unveil the First QR-Powered AI Smart Cooler — Redefining What Unattended Retail Can Be
Two Technologies, One Integration, One Consumer Experience — And a North American First
April 14, 2026
Los Angeles, California — At NAMA 2026, WeVend and SandStar are unveiling something the unattended retail industry has not seen before: an AI-powered smart cooler that uses computer vision to identify every product and QR-based technology to complete every payment — with no barcode scanning, no RFID, and no traditional payment terminal in the loop. The integration, combining WeVend’s PayQR platform with SandStar’s ARK AI Smart Cooler, marks the first time these two capabilities have been brought together in a single, commercially available solution.
What makes this integration technically significant is what it removes. SandStar’s ARK Smart Cooler was already designed to eliminate the dependency on barcodes and RFID — its computer vision engine recognizes products by sight, in real time, with no physical tagging infrastructure required. WeVend’s PayQR technology eliminates the payment terminal: a PCI Level 1 e-commerce gateway activated by a single QR code scan, with no key injection, no terminal lifecycle management, and no added PCI compliance burden for the operator. Removing both constraints from the same deployment produces a smart cooler that is fundamentally simpler — and more scalable — than anything previously available.
“Thirty years in this industry has taught us that the best innovations aren’t the ones that add the most features — they’re the ones that remove the most friction. PayQR removes payment hardware friction. SandStar’s ARK removes product recognition friction. Together, the result is a smart cooler that an operator can deploy faster, manage remotely, and scale without the overhead that has historically made these systems expensive to run. We’re proud to be first to bring this to market, and NAMA is the right place to show the industry what it can do.”
— Peter Zoumboulakis, President, WeVend
The WeVend-SandStar deployment runs on WeVend’s single North American payment gateway — the same infrastructure that supports operators across vending, carwash, parking, and self-serve retail. Real-time reporting, remote price management, instant refunds, and white-label e-receipts are available out of the box. For operators already working within the WeVend ecosystem, adding an ARK Smart Cooler to their network requires no separate payment integration.
“SandStar builds smart coolers. WeVend builds payment infrastructure for unattended environments. This partnership works because both companies were already solving different halves of the same problem. The ARK Smart Cooler handles what’s in the cooler. PayQR handles how the consumer pays for it. The integration connects those two systems seamlessly — and the consumer experience reflects that. No app, no terminal, no checkout line. Just scan and go.”
— Mike Kaiser, CEO, SandStar
The WeVend and SandStar teams will be available throughout NAMA 2026 to walk operators through the technology, explore deployment scenarios, and discuss the partnership’s North American rollout plans.
About WeVend
WeVend is a North American leader in unattended payment solutions, backed by 30+ years of leadership experience. Its product ecosystem — including PayPro, PayPro Max, PayNote, and PayQR — serves operators across vending, carwash, parking, amusement, laundry, smart retail, and more. With a single North American payment gateway, PCI Level 1 certification, white-label capabilities, and WeCare white-glove support, WeVend simplifies the complex for operators who demand reliability and growth. Visit wevend.com. “Unattended Simplified.”
About SandStar
SandStar is a global leader in AI-powered smart retail solutions. Its proprietary computer vision technology enables fully automated, frictionless retail experiences — recognizing products by sight, with no barcodes or RFID required. SandStar’s ARK AI Smart Cooler is deployed across multiple continents, serving retail, food service, and convenience operators. Visit sandstar.com.
Included In This Story
SandStar AI Retail
Real AI. Real Easy.
SandStar is a global pioneer in AI retail, providing AI vending and AI store solutions. Its technologies help retailers safeguard revenue, optimize operations, and scale secure, efficient AI retail networks worldwide.
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